Tea or coffee: which is better for you?

With Brits consuming over 200 million cups of tea and coffee daily, what is the effect on their health?

We've all got our own opinions as to whether a cup of tea or coffee is best when we're in need of a refreshing beverage, but when it comes down to the potential health implications of these drinks, which is actually better for you?

You may prefer tea or coffee as your hot drink of choice, but both have a wealth of scientifically-proven health-boosting properties.

Tea

Figures from the UK Tea and Infusions Association show that 80 per cent of Brits drink at least one cup of tea every day, which equates to around 165 million cups, or 60.2 billion each year.

Better for you than water?

Research published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2006 went as far to suggest that a cup of tea may be better for you than a glass of water.

A team from Kings College London discovered that the beverage contains a variety of antioxidants that water does not, which can help to protect against the development of heart disease and cancer, while also keeping the body hydrated.

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Lead author of the study, Dr Carrie Ruxton, commented: 'Drinking tea is actually better for you than drinking water.

'Water is essentially replacing fluid. Tea replaces fluids and contains antioxidants so it's got two things going for it. Also, a cup of tea contains fluoride, which is good for the teeth.'

Can a cup of tea dissolve stress?

Although 98 per cent of Brits take their tea with milk, skipping this step can help lower stress levels, according to a study from University College London published in 2010.

Researchers found that individuals who consumed caffeinated black tea were significantly less likely to have high levels of the stress hormone, cortisol, in their bodies than those who drank a milky or caffeine-free version of the beverage.

The study saw 75 men divided into two groups, with some given a fruit-flavoured caffeinated beverage featuring key tea ingredients, while the others were given a placebo hot drink without the tea.

Doctors induced feelings of stress in both groups, but found that those drinking the tea-like beverage saw their cortisol levels drop by 47 per cent within 50 minutes of being presented with the stressful situation, in comparison to the 27 per cent decrease experienced by the placebo participants.

Coffee

Figures suggest that some 70 million cups of coffee are consumed every day in the UK, but what exactly is the effect on people's health?

The fight against Alzheimer's and Parkinson's

A study published by the University of South Florida and University of Miami in 2012 discovered revealed that drinking coffee can help to prevent the onset of Alzheimer's disease.

Doctors found that those who consumed greater amounts of caffeine tended to develop the degenerative condition two to four years later than their counterparts who consumed less caffeine, indicating that coffee can help to delay dementia.

It is believed that this is because higher levels of caffeine in the blood prevent certain parts of the brain from failing, keeping it in an active condition for longer.

'However, we firmly believe that moderate coffee consumption can appreciably reduce your risk of Alzheimer's or delay its onset.'

In the same year, scientists at McGill University in Canada found that coffee could help Parkinson's disease patients to have more control over their movements as the condition takes hold.

Some 61 individuals with the degenerative illness took part in the study, which showed two to four cups of coffee per day was the optimum amount needed for Parkinson's patients to better control their movement.

Doctors believe this is because caffeine appears to block malfunctioning brain signals in those with the disease, meaning patients can move more freely.

However, the same study revealed that the caffeine contained in coffee had no significant effect on the tiredness levels of participants.

...but beware of caffeine addiction

Although caffeine has many health benefits, those who consume too much tea or coffee are putting themselves at risk of becoming addicted to the substance - something that can present health issues of its own.

In early 2015, researchers at John Hopkins University Medical School set out to explore the most common side effects of excessive caffeine consumption, finding that withdrawal tended to begin 12 to 24 hours after a person's last caffeine intake.

Side effects included headaches lasting for several days, insomnia, difficulty concentrating on tasks, fatigue and flu-likesymptoms, such as aching muscles, nausea and vomiting.

Official recommendations from the EU state that healthy adults should consume no more than 400 mg of coffee per day (equivalent to around four cups), while pregnant women should limit their caffeine intake to around 50 mg a day.

Children should avoid consuming caffeine altogether. In light of this advice, parents need to remember it is not just present in tea and coffee, but also in fizzy drinks.

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